The Reckoning
by Altiar
Summary: Link has faced many dangers in his past, but none such as this. A great evil was committed by his own hands. His entire life he has tried to repent for it. But no one can run from their past forever. When war breaks out in Hyrule, a dark entity surfaces.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

A young boy stared up at the blue skies and smiled. Everything was clear, nothing unusual about the heavens, no angry moon coming to destroy it all. He pulled off his hat and pushed his blond hair back. He leaned back and his hand brushed what felt like human skin. He looked to see the instrument of Majora's defeat, the mask of the Fierce Deity.

He stared at it with his deep blue eyes. Even without wearing it just having it near him made him feel more powerful. He had saved two worlds and not Majora, not Ganon, nothing had ever seemed this powerful to Link. And to think he could wield it just by wearing it. The though was alluring to Link. As he stared into the deep sockets of the eye's of the mask, he felt as if it was staring back at him.

He shook off the thought, it was just an enchanted mask, nothing sentient could live within it. He shook his head, laughing at his own foolishness, and pulled a blue ocarina, another instrument which aided him in his battle. The gentle tune he played swept over the land. A horse neighed in the distance. The auburn and white horse strode toward him swiftly. As she stopped near him she gently plodded her feet and put her head down near Link. Link stroked Epona's nose gently and swung himself up onto her back. He looked back at Clock Town. _That's not my home, I want to be home again, I want to be in Hyrule, I want to see Zelda._ He turned to face the forest. He had lost his way in a forest before, maybe he could find his way back as well. Link said goodbye to this place, though he had been there for close to a month, only three days had passed, he knew no one would miss him. He tapped Epona gingerly with his heels and together they trotted off into woodland.

Link traveled for many days and nights, eventually leaving the forest. He traveled through village after village asking how to get back to Hyrule, but no one had heard of such a place. He had stopped in a village built around an archway, it was rumored to be a gate of some sort, to what Link did not know. The canyon was what really interested him, it seemed to have no end. What had possessed these people to build next to this abyss?

Outside of an inn run by a kind old woman he sat drinking a small bit of milk. None of the milk he had had since leaving Clock town was nearly as good as the milk from Lon Lon ranch in Hyrule, but he didn't expect it to be. He learned to live with it. As he brought the bottle up to his lips he noticed a man sit down on the bench next to him, wearing a long cloak, his face shrouded by his hood. Link kept his hand near his gilded sword, just in case. The man sat there, not facing Link, but he swore he felt his eyes upon him from under the hood. Link tried not to focus on it and began to drink his milk once more.

"Are you the one who has been asking about Hyrule?" Link choked, spitting some of his milk onto the dirt road.

"Y-yeah, what of it?" He replied, trying to gain his breath back.

"Why?" The man's voice was like ice, cold and sharp and penetrated Link, chilling him to the bone.

"Why do you want to know?"

"You want to go back," Link stared at him, what was this guy getting at?

"Yeah…what do you know about it? Can you get me back home?" The man sat silently beside Link. Link wondered what he was thinking. The man turned his head slightly. His hand shot out of his cloak grabbing Link by the arm and held it up to his face. Unable to free his left arm, Link grabbed his sword in his right hand and swung it with the scabbard still on it. The blow landed upon the cloaked man's head, he didn't flinch. A light radiated from the back of his left hand, and the cloaked man released it, pulling his arm back into his cloak. Link backed away from him and pulled his sword from its sheath pointing it dangerously at the man.

"Put it away, I'm not here to fight. I offer aid. At midnight tonight go to the gate, let the light of Faroe shine and you will return to your home. The three golden goddesses will grant you safe passage, their power was placed in Hyrule for a reason." He rose and began to walk away.

"Wait!" Link called after him. The cloaked man turned slightly. "What is your name?" He sighed and shook his head.

"My name lost meaning long ago, but if you must call me anything, call me Servus. May we meet again." He turned as to walk away and simply vanished. Link stared for a moment, unsure of what happened. He sighed and sheathed his sword. He looked off toward the horizon to see the sun setting in the distance. He walked into the inn, up the stairs, and into his room. He laid his sword next to his shield on the bed and sat down on the bed. He reached into the pouch on his belt, pulled out the ocarina, and began to play. With each note he played his troubles seemed to wash away and a feeling of calmness flowed over his entire body. He played until darkness fell over the landscape and lay back on his bed. He stared at the ceiling and wondered if what Servus said to him was true. He decided that, this being his only lead, he would have no choice but to trust him. He closed his eyes and his breathing slowed as he drifted off to sleep.

The dream he had was terrifying. He was once again under the guise of the Fierce Deity, but he was fighting no monsters this time, this time he did not even fight. A fight is against to people who can defend themselves, no, this was slaughter. Defenseless people only trying to escape, but they could not, those who ran were destroyed. The old woman at the inn was picked up on the end of his blade before being thrown through the stone wall of the inn. He burst through the hole decapitating a guard that was watching the spectacle. He cut his way into a home across from the inn, a man stood ready with a sword inside. Link smiled as the man charged at him. He stuck his blade into the ground and grabbed the mans blade. He shoved his hand deep into the man's chest, as he pulled out, the man's heart was still beating before he crushed in his hand, blood sprayed all over the interior of the house, coating everything with a crimson sheen. As the man fell to the floor, Link saw a wife and child, his insane, toothy grin stretched even farther across his gaunt face. He grabbed his sword and strode forward. He continued until the village was nothing more than a grave yard. And the most terrifying part about the dream to Link, the power felt good.

He awoke, it was still dark. He was in a cold sweat. He went to wipe the sweat from his brow, as he touched his forehead he became aware of a strange liquid covering his left hand. He looked, and the sight hit him in the pit of his stomach. He leaned forward and vomited. Blood, his hand was covered in blood. A smell hit his nose, a nauseating, sickening smell. He looked up, to see a flaming pile. Bodies, he realized, it's a pile of bodies. He was no longer in his hotel room. He was in front of the gate, between the pillars a shimmering film. Through it he could see the faint but recognizable landscape of Hyrule. He was shaking, he had no idea what to think, he fell to his knees and vomited again. Panting, he looked over to his side. The mask lay there, but its usually emotionless face had changed. On its blood spattered face there was a visible smirk. Link realized what had occurred. He called for Epona, and she arrived he jumped onto her back, the mask gripped tightly in his hands. They came to the abyssal gorge next to the village. Link pulled his arm back as far as he could and cast the mask into the depths. He knew. He knew that the mask had done it. But he also knew his body was its vessel. It was at that moment he vowed to repent for the sins of that night. Epona turned around and he spurred her toward the village, and the gate to send him home. He crossed the threshold, the film rippling as he passed through, into his own world.

The bodies still burned in the village into the morning until nothing more than charred skeletal remains were left. The village was desolate, dark, dead. There was no movement. But from the darkness emerged a cloaked figure. He looked around, and from under his hood he smirked. He vanished once again, this time appearing beside the gorge, staring down into the depths he strode toward the edge.

"The time has come my master, we shall return to the sacred realm where those cursed golden wenches cast you aside. You shall awake once more and take your revenge on them and all who worship them, the time is now." And with that he stepped over the edge, falling into the abyss.

Morning came, the gate still shimmered lightly and the smell of burning corpses still lingered in the air. A soft wind blew through the village and the cloaked man appeared before the still open gate. He passed through it, the shimmering film disappeared and the gate collapsed. As soon as he passed through into Hyrule, happiness was not felt anywhere within the world. There was only dread. And under his cloak the mask's smirk twisted into an insane grin.


	2. Chapter 2

-1The sky was clear in Hyrule. From a balcony a young woman stood looking over the castle's training grounds. Her blonde hair streamed down over her shoulder as she watched her fiancé do battle. Everyone marveled at him. To be so young and have so much skill was very rarely seen. Though people suspected it had something to do with the great Goddesses favor and his Triforce of Courage, Zelda knew it was all from experience. When you fight that much from a young age, you become well versed in combat. That was the reason he had become knight lord at age 17, the second highest rank in the Hylian military.

Link was surrounded three fully armor clad knights. He wore a chain mail shirt and green pants. The he held his gilded sword in his left, his Hylian shield in his right. He waited for one to charge. The knights stood at the ready, staring Link down, trying desperately to appear unafraid. One came from behind, brandishing a spear. Link quickly sidestepped, cutting the end of the spear away with a clean swipe. He spun around and slammed his shield into the end of the spear before the man could recuperate, jamming the butt of the spear into the knights chest violently, bending his armor and knocking the wind from his lungs. The other two charged simultaneously. Link quickly reacted blocking one with his shield, the other with his blade. He pushed them off and kicked one in the chest, sending him back. He swung his right arm violently, catching the other in the chest with his shield. He flipped over the man cutting into his helmet. The man cried out in pain as the blade cut into his face and he fell to his knees. The last knight charged again. Link had put his blade away and was watching the man intensely. As soon as the knight was within three steps of Link, Link drew his blade with blinding speed. The strike mangled the knights armor and chain mail, but did not cut the flesh. The man fell backward, stunned by the sheer ferocity of the strike. Link sheathed his sword and smiled.

"That strike done properly can go through bone, if I had been trying to, I would have killed you right then." He smiled pleasantly and walked back into the castle as the apothecaries rushed out with potions to heal the wounds of the knights. One was offered to him, but he politely declined stating they hadn't managed to cut him during the bout. He handed his gilded sword to a squire standing in the hallway. As he held on to the blade his eyes lit up, most of the squires, and even some of the seasoned knights, admired Link's skill and bravery in battle.

"That was amazing Sir Farore!" the child exclaimed. Link smiled, being raised in the forest's of Hyrule, he had no family name and took the name of the golden power that he possessed. However he did not prefer his formal name.

"Link is fine, lad. And thank you. May the goddesses smile upon you." He patted the boy on the head gently as he walked away. He climbed the stairs to his quarters. As he opened the door, Zelda wrapped her arms around him and pressed her lips firmly against his. He pulled away after a moment, savoring the sweet caress of her lips against his, his left hand glowing with the bottom two portions of the Triforce. Zelda's symbol shined in the same fashion.

"You fought valiantly today, my love." Zelda said. He smiled sweetly, and wrapped his arms around her waist as he embraced his fiancé. She pulled back from him, letting her hand come down to his. They walked to the balcony together and looked over the castle, hands clasped together. She leaned her head on his shoulder as they looked out over the horizon. After a long pause Zelda looked up at Link. "There was a letter for you today, from Biggoron." Link looked at her.

"What did it say?" He sounded very exited. She blinked, he wasn't usually the excitable type. She found his boyish expression cute. She chuckled.

"It only said two words, 'Its ready.' Tell me, dear, do you know what he's referring to?" Link's childish smile stretched far across his face.

"I requested he make something for me. A bit of armor, that I could fit these into." He pulled from a belt pouch three crystals, each glowing distinctly. "Gems containing the power of the goddesses themselves. With these in my armor I will be able to stand against numerous foes without so much as breaking a sweat." Zelda sighed. She walked toward the bed, Link followed closely behind her. She sat down looking at the floor.

"There is more to life than battle, my love…" Link placed his hand on her cheek, and looked her in the eyes.

"I battle to repent. I battle for you and the kingdom you represent. I must show myself as an example of what our men should be, honorable and virtuous. That is the only way I can repent for what I did all those years ago." Zelda sighed. She hated hearing him lament over something that was obviously not his fault, he felt as if he had been the instrument of their slaughter that fateful night.

"Link, your virtues outweigh your sins, why can't you see that? Yes what happened that night was horrible, but you were used. You didn't do it. Besides, you left that mask in another world, right? It can't follow you here. You're safe from its influence. Please let it go." Link stared at her for a long while. She had never so adamantly protested his devotion to repenting. Her eyes began to well up with tears, and he pulled her close. He hated to see her cry. "Please" she said through choking sobs. Link nodded.

"I will honor they're memories, but I have done enough to repent. I have saved two worlds. I will always regret what happened, but if it makes you happy, I will stop dwelling on it." She looked into his eyes. Those feral blue eyes shone with his resolve, his resolve to make her happy. She knew that he would do whatever it took to make her happy, she had no desire to change him. She just didn't want to lose him to despair or see him live for power. To become the very thing he hated, that is what he feared. But Zelda knew he was incapable of whatever that thing had done. She pushed him onto his back and kissed him deeply, his hands caressing her body. They spent the rest of the night in their quarters, not once leaving the bed.

Link awoke in the middle of the night, his arms wrapped around the naked body of his loved one. He smiled, kissing her gently on the cheek as he, slowly and carefully maneuvered out from under the thin summer blanket. He took a step away from the bed, his foot knocking against something. It began to fall but he grabbed it before it could make any noise. The blue hilt of the blade rested in his hand. Still in its blue and gold scabbard, the Master Sword had an allure to it even with out seeing the blade. Link walked to the window, blade still in hand. He leaned against the balcony's railing, pulling the blade from its sheath. He looked at it. This sword had seen him through a lot, not only on his first quest to save Hyrule, but in his attempt to prove himself worth of serving the King. He was, after all, only a boy when he came to him.

The king looked down on the scruffy looking child. With a small bit of scorn he looked him over. Link stared directly into the eyes of the king, determined to prove himself worthy to serve, for if he could, he could be that much closer to Zelda. The king finally sighed, shaking his head.

"I don't know what you have to offer boy but I don't see how you think some little child who was brought up in the forest has a place in _my_ court" Link stepped forward, he was unafraid of this man's words.

"I can match any of you squires in combat, that much has been demonstrated, I've even taken down two knights, my skills in battle are this advanced and I am this young, train me further and I can surpass them all" The king chuckled at the young boy's outburst. Shaking his head, he replied.

"You are a brave lad, and you are very skilled, but I would need something more to just train a peon from out in the streets." Link scowled. He wanted to fight the king personally to show his strength, but he knew attempting an attack on His Majesty would mean death for certain. He stood thinking. None would believe he was the Hero of Time without proof.

But he had proof. He reached into his pouch, the guards readying their spears, ready for an attack. Link pulled forth the Ocarina of Time.

"I am the Hero of Time. I transcended the boundaries of time to save the kingdom of Hyrule from Ganondorf's destructive hands" The King stared for a long time. His eyes were wide. He bared his teeth and yelled with the ferocious, bestial roar.

"Zelda! Bring me Zelda!" He bellowed. The guards rushed out but Impa had already arrived with the young Princess.

"What do you wish of me Father?" She said. As she looked at him her eyes caught a glimpse of the young boy clad in green. "Link!?" The king looked down at the boy.

"So you know him? Zelda, who is this boy. Do not lie to me. This is very important." She looked at her father, and back at Link. Her eyes pleaded with him. She wasn't sure if she should tell. Link nodded, he knew that she wasn't sure if she wanted people to know what he had done. As she stared into his eyes, she saw his unwavering strength. She felt it flow into her, and she was no longer afraid.

"Father, Link is the Hero of Time, and," She walked over and grabbed his left hand with her right. Their hands both radiated with golden light. On both of their hands the bottom two triangles of the Triforce shone with the radiance of a thousand diamonds. "he is the holder of the Triforce of Courage." The king stared, his mouth agape. For a long time he said nothing. Finally, after a long silence, he closed his mouth and leaned back in his throne. After a long pause he said.

"Hero of Time, eh? Triforce holder, no wonder you showed no fear against my warriors. However!" He pointed at Link, his eyes firmly locked with his. Link didn't flinch. "There is one final test that I must put you through lad. One more, if you pass I shall put you in with my knights, will you submit to this?" Without a moments hesitation, the answer shot forth from Link's lips.

"Yes, your Majesty, what would you have me do?" The king smirked, he stroked his white beard. He rose up from his throne and strode past Link.

"Fallow me and you shall see."

Chapter End

R&R please


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